We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day. The denizens of McPherson Square in Washington, DC enjoyed basking in the sunny, slightly cool weather. I arrived late, but the youth group from Fairlington Methodist Church was still serving homeless and other low-income people. TOP turned 38 that month, and I wanted to experience the ministry that started it all. With William Daniels in charge of the DC ministry, I get to enjoy watching and interacting with people when I make these trips.
The day did not disappoint. I experienced a microcosm of things that have defined my life in Teens Opposing Poverty’s ministry for nearly four decades. The afternoon was more than just nostalgia. I got to taste new observations and conversations that remind me why I do this.
Old Friends
I hadn’t seen Singh in years. I heard he got off the streets several years ago. He wandered into the park as the youth group started wrapping up. I could tell he was successfully dealing with his alcohol addiction because he looked years younger than he did when he was on the street. Life was good for him, but money was still very tight. So he picked up free meals whenever he could.
As I was talking with Singh, my good friend Robert came up to us. He had also gotten off the street and was looking for work as a truck driver. Lack of transportation was his big obstacle. He needed a vehicle to get to the jobs that were available. Despite those difficulties, Rob’s faith remained strong. Seeing his faith in action has always strengthened my own faith.
New Faces
Fairlington Church’s new youth pastor was on his first TOP Trip. He was handing out sheets (more on that later) to people after they passed through the food line. When I asked him how he liked it, he said he loved it. No matter the age, most of the folks who come out for the first time take delight in the ministry. They often realize the experience differs significantly from their expectations.
Legacy
Sam, a young adult with the youth group, made my day. He said he did our Street ministry when he was a youth. It was his favorite thing to do and made a huge impact on him. He now helps lead the TOP trips both as a way to give back and a way to continue the outreach.
Struggles
A woman and her young son walked up to me. I could tell she knew and trusted a lot of the people there by the way she let her son wander around. She was a single Mom who fled an abusive relationship. Even though she didn’t share details, I could tell that she felt the struggle to survive financially was better than the abuse she ran away from. After a short discussion about her personal life, she launched into her analysis of the Israel/Hamas war. Rob came up while we were talking. Her son went right up to him. They knew each other well.
After our conversation, I saw a woman slowly pushing a walker through the park. She wore a coat that was too heavy for the temperatures and bags hung off her walker, signs she was likely homeless. It always breaks my heart to see someone who can barely move in that condition.
A New Thing
The coordinator for Fairlington’s TOP Trips received donations of bed sheets. We had no idea how many people would be interested in them, but William said to bring them. It turns out, a lot of folks wanted them. One of the beauties of this ministry is that we never stop learning.
Kindness
As I mentioned in a an earlier post, the youth from Fairlington always offer respect and dignity to the people they serve. My heart is always full when I see that beautiful interaction. Right before they started loading things back into their van, I made sure to encourage them in their ministry.